Say arrivederci to Denton’s only Italian market.
Di Abruzzo Italian Market and Deli announced its closure on social media Wednesday. Opened in 2022, the market brought authentic Italian flavor to Denton with homemade pasta, specialty cheeses, sausages and more.
Owner Jack Santarelli cited the state of the economy as the main reason for the closure, especially due to raised tariffs on imported goods.
“I’m not somebody that will compromise on quality, what I use to cook and what customers expect from us,” Santarelli said Wednesday. “And I also didn’t want to have to raise prices.”
He said he initially tried offering smaller menus and different kinds of dishes, but this was not financially sustainable.
“As much as it was great for customers, and it was cost-effective, the amount of people still not having the ability to open up their wallets this past year because of the economy [was] a driving factor,” he said.
However, Santarelli said he’ll offer private dinners and cooking classes after the market’s closure. He said Di Abruzzo used to host private dinners every month or so and that he’s had requests for cooking classes.
Cured meats and cheeses hang up in Di Abruzzo Italian Market in June 2022.
Maria Crane/For the DRC
Santarelli said he received overwhelming community support after announcing the closure.
“It’s so much easier if you close a business because it’s not good,” he said. “The worst thing, when you close a business, is if it is good and you’re forced to [close]. That’s a lot harder to digest and accept.”
“I’m not finished with this,” he said. “I’m a glass-half-full person. There’s no way that something like this would ever stop me in my tracks. Quite the opposite.”
CAMILA GONZALEZ can be reached at 940-566-6830 and cgonzalez@dentonrc.com.
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Dining and Cooking